"Soldiers of Christ" Religious Group Members, Including Mother, Charged in Connection with Georgia Murder
Oct 16, 2023, 11:00 AM
A harrowing discovery in Georgia has exposed disturbing actions associated with the religious group, "Soldiers of Christ." Mihee Lee, 54, along with multiple members of the group, including her children, now face charges linked to the death of 33-year-old Sehee Cho.
On September 12, a grim find was made in Duluth – Cho’s lifeless body lay in the trunk of a car parked outside a South Korean spa. According to the Gwinnett Police Department, the victim had endured weeks of beatings and severe malnourishment. The nature of her prolonged suffering sends chills down the spine of any compassionate observer.
Mihee Lee is facing multiple charges including felony murder, false imprisonment, tampering with evidence, and more. Her children, Joonho Lee, 26, Juoonhyum Lee, 22, and Junyeong Lee, 15, have been apprehended on similar charges. Three other members - Hyunji Lee, 25, Eric Hyun, 26, and Lee family relative Gawom Lee, 26 - were arrested last month in connection with this crime.
However, a shocking twist was unveiled when Eric Hyun’s attorney disclosed that both his client and the deceased, Sehee Cho, were also victims of the very group they were a part of. David Boyle, representing Hyun, alleged that both were brutally tortured in the basement of the Lee residence, disguised as a religious initiation rite for their church.
The details of their ordeal are nothing short of horrifying. Eric Hyun was allegedly subjected to heinous acts, including being belted across his face and genitals, stripped, shot multiple times with an airsoft gun, and had skin sanded off his chest. These were acts meant to "indoctrinate him into their religious extremism," according to the statement. Financial coercion was also applied, with tens of thousands of dollars reportedly sent to Korea and credit cards maxed out.
Sehee Cho, who had relocated from South Korea to Atlanta to become part of the Soldiers of Christ, was found weighing just around 70 lbs. The Gwinnett Police, in their press release, expressed their belief that malnourishment played a role in her tragic demise.
Gwinnett Police Sgt. Michele Pihera, in a conversation with PEOPLE, left the door open to more charges, saying, "If any additional probable cause presents itself, more charges could be forthcoming."
After Cho's body was discovered, an investigation led the authorities to a house in Lawrenceville, GA. It is in this house's basement where they suspect the gruesome crime unfolded. The case unraveled when Eric Hyun, allegedly, drove the car containing Cho’s body to the Jeju Sauna, left it parked, and later had a family member discover the body when retrieving a personal item.
According to Fox5, among the arrested, Joonho Lee, is an Emory University student. While he remains in custody without bond, Eric Hyun has been granted one. The others, Juoonhyum Lee, Gawom Lee, and Hyunji Lee, still remain detained.
This case unveils the dark underside of religious fanaticism, painting a grim picture of how beliefs can be distorted to justify heinous actions. As the investigation continues, many await the full revelations and justice for Sehee Cho.
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On September 12, a grim find was made in Duluth – Cho’s lifeless body lay in the trunk of a car parked outside a South Korean spa. According to the Gwinnett Police Department, the victim had endured weeks of beatings and severe malnourishment. The nature of her prolonged suffering sends chills down the spine of any compassionate observer.
Mihee Lee is facing multiple charges including felony murder, false imprisonment, tampering with evidence, and more. Her children, Joonho Lee, 26, Juoonhyum Lee, 22, and Junyeong Lee, 15, have been apprehended on similar charges. Three other members - Hyunji Lee, 25, Eric Hyun, 26, and Lee family relative Gawom Lee, 26 - were arrested last month in connection with this crime.
However, a shocking twist was unveiled when Eric Hyun’s attorney disclosed that both his client and the deceased, Sehee Cho, were also victims of the very group they were a part of. David Boyle, representing Hyun, alleged that both were brutally tortured in the basement of the Lee residence, disguised as a religious initiation rite for their church.
The details of their ordeal are nothing short of horrifying. Eric Hyun was allegedly subjected to heinous acts, including being belted across his face and genitals, stripped, shot multiple times with an airsoft gun, and had skin sanded off his chest. These were acts meant to "indoctrinate him into their religious extremism," according to the statement. Financial coercion was also applied, with tens of thousands of dollars reportedly sent to Korea and credit cards maxed out.
Sehee Cho, who had relocated from South Korea to Atlanta to become part of the Soldiers of Christ, was found weighing just around 70 lbs. The Gwinnett Police, in their press release, expressed their belief that malnourishment played a role in her tragic demise.
Gwinnett Police Sgt. Michele Pihera, in a conversation with PEOPLE, left the door open to more charges, saying, "If any additional probable cause presents itself, more charges could be forthcoming."
After Cho's body was discovered, an investigation led the authorities to a house in Lawrenceville, GA. It is in this house's basement where they suspect the gruesome crime unfolded. The case unraveled when Eric Hyun, allegedly, drove the car containing Cho’s body to the Jeju Sauna, left it parked, and later had a family member discover the body when retrieving a personal item.
According to Fox5, among the arrested, Joonho Lee, is an Emory University student. While he remains in custody without bond, Eric Hyun has been granted one. The others, Juoonhyum Lee, Gawom Lee, and Hyunji Lee, still remain detained.
This case unveils the dark underside of religious fanaticism, painting a grim picture of how beliefs can be distorted to justify heinous actions. As the investigation continues, many await the full revelations and justice for Sehee Cho.
Want to listen to ALL of our podcasts AD-FREE? Subscribe through APPLE PODCASTS, and try it for three days free: https://tinyurl.com/ycw626tj
Follow Our Other Cases: https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com
The latest on Catching the Long Island Serial Killer, Awaiting Admission: BTK’s Unconfessed Crimes, Delphi Murders: Inside the Crime, Chad & Lori Daybell, The Murder of Ana Walshe, Alex Murdaugh, Bryan Kohberger, Lucy Letby, Kouri Richins, Malevolent Mormon Mommys, Justice for Harmony Montgomery, The Murder of Stephen Smith, The Murder of Madeline Kingsbury, and much more! Listen at https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com